By Amaechi Agbo

Barely a month to the commencement of he 2023 Wold Beach Games in Indonesia, the host nation has withdrawn from hosting the competition after the Local Organizing Committee reported that the government has failed to release budget for the competition due to start in August.

Announcing the cancellation of the competition on Tuesday, the Association of National Olympic Committees, ANOC expressed disappoinment over the development saying that the short notice by the LOC left them with little or no time to seek for alternative host.

ANOC regretted that the withdrawal of Bali, Indonesia from hosting the Games has left over 100 National Olympic Committees NOCs fans and athletes the opportunity of participating in the Games they have looked up to.

“It is with great surprise and extreme disappointment that ANOC has learnt that the Bali 2023 Local Organising Committee (LOC) has withdrawn from its commitment to host the ANOC World Beach Games and the ANOC General Assembly in August 2023.

“With the Games scheduled to take place in one month, the decision at such late notice prevents ANOC from being able to find an alternative host and so there is no option but to cancel this year’s edition of the Games in Bali in August as well as the ANOC General Assembly. Regarding the ANOC General Assembly, a decision will be taken in the coming weeks regarding a new location and dates,” ANOC statement reads.

The LOC stated the decision was taken after the budget was not released by the Government of the country and there is now not time to deliver the Games.

Bali was set to host the second edition of the World Beach Games and the event included 14 sports like beach soccer, beach volleyball and surfing. Doha hosted the inaugural edition in 2019.

“ANOC is very disappointed by the LOC’s actions which will deny athletes from 100 qualified NOCs from fulfilling their ambitions of competing at the Games.

“ANOC offers its sincere apologies to these NOCs, athletes and the International Federations (IFs) who have been committed partners of the event, and to the fans around the world.

“While there have been challenges in the Games preparations, as at any major multi-sport event, ANOC had been regularly assured by the LOC that solutions would be found and the Games would go ahead as planned.

“ANOC and the LOC met for weekly coordination meetings, as recently as last week, and at no point did the LOC indicate there were any issues that would lead to such an outcome.

“ANOC’s immediate priority is to ensure the athletes are supported and the, NOCs and IFs are compensated as best as possible in light of the Games cancellation,” the statement conceded

It could be recalled that Indonesia was stripped of the rights to host the U-20 World Cup this year.

The decision was taken after the country’s football federation (PSSI) said it had cancelled the draw because the governor of the largely Hindu island of Bali refused to host Israel’s team.